


let's fall in love

by ourdarkspirits



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 11:58:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8889934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ourdarkspirits/pseuds/ourdarkspirits
Summary: What comes after Phryne leaves Australia





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wanderlustlover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderlustlover/gifts).



_ Come after me, Jack Robinson. _

 

When she had started her detective business, Phryne Fisher had not planned on falling in love. She supposed she had mostly been looking for a bit of fun, a way to use her powers of observation in more engaging pursuits than society gossip. 

 

She had not been expecting Jack Robinson. She had not been expecting to acquire a family. And now that she was leaving Australia she found that she had fallen in love, had fallen in love with a group of people who had become her family. She never would have thought it would be this hard.

 

She had hoped to see Jack before taking off. She had not expected that him to show up at the last minute.

 

She didn’t tell Jack she loved him, but she hoped he heard it anyway. She hoped he knew that in this she was serious, that she was taking him seriously. She hoped Jack saw in her smile and in the tone of her voice that this mattered.

 

Phryne hasn’t been in England long. She wonders how Dot was doing with Hugh. It is too soon to expect a letter. It has been too soon to expect Jack, too, but that doesn’t stop her from looking for him everywhere she went. She tells herself she is being ridiculous. It doesn’t seem to stop her from feeling the disappointment whenever she doesn’t see him. 

 

When the man coming in the door finally is Jack Robinson, she’s torn between wanting to yell at him for taking so long and running to him as she had before she left Australia. 

 

She settles for cordial enthusiasm. “Jack,” she exclaims. “You’re here.”

 

It’s maybe a little softer than she had intended. It doesn’t matter because he’s there. He’s standing in her doorway, looking a slightly nervous.

 

He hasn’t said anything yet, so she adds with a jolt of remembrance, “Come in.”

 

“I hope this is alright,” Jack says, following her inside. “You did tell me to come after you.”

 

“Of course I told you to come after me,” Phryne responds, her mind whirling. He had apparently taken too long, given himself enough time to begin to doubt everything that had happened by the time she had chosen to fly her father back to England. “And now you’re here.”

 

“And now I’m here,” he agrees. Jack reaches up to rub the back of his neck and Phryne closes the space between them.

 

“I said it because I meant it,” she says, running a hand down the lapel of his coat and is rewarded with the flustered look she had become so familiar with, so fond of. She smiles and then turns away beckoning him further down the hall. 

 

“Now do come in,” Phryne orders. 

 

Jack follows her into her sitting room and it feels right. She thinks of everything she wants to say. She is grateful to have an excuse to prioritize by ordering tea. 

 

When the butler leaves, she settles on, “I missed you, Jack.”

 

She watches Jack, waiting to see if he heard everything she means. She missed working with him, his partnership, his humor, him.

 

“I’m glad you’re here,” she adds. 

 

Jack nods. “I missed you, too. I-,” he pauses as if deciding how to talk to her. “I wanted to come earlier. I had to tie up some loose ends.”

 

“I know,” Phryne says and she does know. He could never have left Australia until he had set things in order. He has too many commitments. He has a job, an important job. He has been helping Hugh advance and grow as a constable. He has helped support Hugh as she had helped support Dot. 

 

The butler sets down the tea tray and she leans forward, spared from having to say anything else by the task. She pours a cup of tea for him and then for herself. 

 

She looks back up at him as he prepares his tea, hoping he'll offer some idea of what they do next. With him, she's never been quite sure. He means too much to her now to go about things in her typical fashion. Except Jack does not say anything. In fact, he seems to be waiting on her. 

 

She elects to speak of smaller, more banal matters. “How are Dot and Hugh?”

 

“They're doing well,” Jack responds, settling into the topic. “Dot has helped out on a few cases since you've been gone. Of course not nearly as many now that she's married and no longer working for you.”

 

“I trust she's much easier to work with than I was,” Phryne responds glibly. “She never seems to get into the same sorts of tight spots I find myself in.”

 

“Not quite, no,” Jack agrees but he's grinning at her and Phryne can't help but respond in kind. “But she gets into her fair share of trouble.”

 

“Poor Hugh,” Phryne offers. 

 

“Poor Hugh indeed,” he agrees settling a little more into his setting. “And you. I'm sure you're still getting into a fair amount of trouble.”

 

Phryne offers Jack her best sly look and says, “I wouldn't call it trouble. They're adventures. Much better than trouble.”

 

She expects Jack to offer a ready quip in return but he doesn't. His face has become quite serious. She supposes she should be glad they've managed the lighter banter as long as they have. 

 

“What are we doing, Phryne?” He asks. 

 

She gives him a long look as she sorts out her answer. “I'm not sure, Jack. I'm in rather unfamiliar territory here.”

 

“I see,” Jack nods but she's not quite sure he does see and Phryne doesn't wish to leave anything to chance. 

 

“I don't think you do,” she responds. She takes a deep breath and sets down her cup before continuing on. “I'm much more used to flings and much more comfortable with them but that's not what I want.” 

 

“No?” Jack confirms. 

 

“No, Jack. You're my friend and partner and you are very important to me.” It's one of the harder things she's had to say and she watches Jack to see how he'll respond. 

 

“So we’ll just make it up as we go along, then,” Jack suggests and that sounds like a good idea. 

 

“Preferably on the same continent,” Phryne suggests feeling the smile growing on her face.  She finds herself looking forward to this particular adventure and thinks that she could get used to facing the world head on with Jack Robinson at her side.


End file.
